Students take on the challenge of nursing program

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One of the most important roles in the field of medicine is that of the licensed practical nurse (LPN), who provide essential services in hospitals and home care agencies.

There is a great demand for nurses in the province, and fresh new recruits are welcomed and scooped up almost immediately. The schooling and training to become an LPN is a grueling and time-consuming process, with countless days spent pouring over medical texts and terminology, and countless nights filled with homework.

When this extreme workload is coupled with the demands of parenting, employment, and in some cases being far from home, the struggle to learn can seem quite immense.

At the Dumont Technical Institute (DTI) in Prince Albert, a group of 15 women is meeting these demands head-on, and they are succeeding.

The LPN training program is about sixteen months long, with the students dividing their time between the classroom, and gaining clinical experience working in the field at such medical locations as the Victoria Hospital and the Herb Basset Home for senior citizens.

The students, who are now into their second semester in the program, recently took time out from their studies to share their experiences and their thoughts, both on the field that they are entering and on the challenges that they face as students.

"This is an excellent program," said one of the students. "We have a good layout and a wonderful instructor, and we all get along well."

Lynn Beaucamp, instructor of the LPN program, said the success rate of the program is very high. "We've had 100 per cent of our graduates employed, including eight or nine who had positions (as LPNs) before the course was even completed." Beaucamp added that the majority of those graduates have been employed within the Prince Albert area.

Although this level of success is extraordinary, the same hurdles faced by previous grads still challenge the students of today.

"Finding funding is a major obstacle," said one student, a sentiment that was echoed by the entire class.

Also, many of the students are single mothers, who must find time to juggle children and family responsibilities along with textbooks and exams.

"You have to be ready to make sacrifices," one student remarked. "Your family life is important, but you must be responsible and disciplined enough to find a balance. If not, you're going to find it hard, because if you miss a few days in this class, you're missing a few weeks worth of information."

One student faced a unique challenge in that she left her community in the north to enroll in this program. She said that the support of her family helped her meet the extreme difficulties that awaited her.

In order to assist in the process of getting settled and getting back into the routines of school, the class was given the first month of the first semester as a preparatory time to get to know one another and secure necessities such as child care. This month proved to be invaluable to the students, particularly for those who had been out of a school setting for quite some time.

"I was a little scared coming back to school at my age," said one student. "It was a little trying at times, but that first month really helped me out."

After their first semester, which proved to be a test of endurance, the group is now looking forward to whatever the future has to offer. Many students in the class expressed a deep interest in furthering their education, building on this course by moving on to the Registered Nursing program offered at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST). Many see themselves using the knowledge gained in this program as a stepping stone to new opportunities in the workforce, while some wish to make a longtime career as practical nurses. But the one goal that the entire class shares is to be able to use what they've learned to give back to the community.

As for others who are thinking about taking the DTI Licensed Practical Nursingprogram, this group of students had some advice born out of experience: "Try to reach your goals, but be prepared for the workload. It's not going to be easy. This program gave us a chance to hear other people's stories and gave us a good chance to see life, and although the work is heavy, you will still enjoy it. We do."

If you would like more information on the Licensed Practical Nursing Program offered at the Dumont Technical Institute, contact Lynn Beaucamp at 922-4944.